Classic Beef Stew

Total Time: 4 hrs Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 -3 slices bacon
• 2 -3 lbs beef chuck
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 onion
• 2 cups beef broth
• 5 medium potatoes
• 5 carrots
• 1 (8 -10 ounce) package mushrooms (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp.
• 2 meanwhile, cut the beef into 2-3 inch cubes. remove and discard any excess fat as you do.
• 3 sprinkle the cubes with salt and pepper.
• 4 after you have cooked the bacon and taken it out of the pot, turn the heat up to high and add the beef cubes. do not crowd.
• 5 brown the beef well, turning as necessary, and turning the heat down if the residue on the bottom of the pan is burning.
• 6 remove the browned meat to a plate, and continue browning all the remaining cubes.
• 7 meanwhile, peel the onion and cut into 1/4-inch (or so) slices.
• 8 after browning and removing all of the beef, add the sliced onions.
• 9 stir to bring up any of the yummy brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
• 10 lower the heat to medium, and cook onion about 5-10 min, stirring occasionally, or until limp and well browned.
• 11 heat oven to 300ºf.
• 12 return the meat to the pan with the onions, along with any of the residual juices that have collected on the plate.
• 13 add the beef broth and bring to a boil.
• 14 turn off the heat and cover.
• 15 place meat in the oven and cook for 2 hours.
• 16 peel and quarter the potatoes, adding them to the pot as you do.
• 17 cover the pot and cook for 30 minute.
• 18 peel and quarter the carrots, slice the mushrooms if you like and are using them; add them to the pan.
• 19 cover the pot and cook for 20 min more.
• 20 serve in bowls.